Did you not watch Jebbison during his loan spell here? His couldn't care less attitude to how he played for us was evident for all to see - did absolutely nothing to earn his wages.
You have a strange view of what constitutes a role model in society - politicians, senior or otherwise, and military leaders are at the bottom of the pile in the average Joe's view - the words, actions and attitudes of footballers have far more influence on people's minds. You may think that they only have a duty to be the best they can for their team, that may apply in an ideal world, but, as you effectively pointed out, we don't live in an ideal world - we live in one unfortunately populated by large numbers of impressionable idiots who can't think for themselves - and who thrive on the hype and nonsense surrounding footballers, encouraged by media saturation.
Quite what makes you arrive at the conclusion that footballers don't wish to be role models is baffling to say the least - all the available evidence suggests the opposite. And as for your "jealousy" comment - give me strength. You couldn't be further from the truth if you tried.
I didn't realise you knew that much about football that enabled you to make the judgmeet that Jebbison couldn't care less and did nothing to earn his wages. The clubs coaching staff - obviously completely wrong , in spite of their knowledge expertise, and day to day contact felt otherwise. How silly of them. Why didn't they listen to such an informed erudite wise professional coach such as yourself ?
This is an interesting debate. It seems to me that footballers have no wish whatsoever to be or become role models. They are forced into that position ,not by choice, but by the media, as you say.and which becomes self -fulfilling, irrespective of the footballers wish. I don't know what evidence exists that footballers want to become role models. Is there any ? I didn't realise either that we live in a world populated by impressionable idiots. You evidence ? I agree there are some lunatics (e.g. the WFC muppets who knocked me to the ground at Pride Park last season , in their determination to get as close to the Derby fans as possible and hurl gestures and insults when Louza scored.) But it seems to me that most of the impressionable idiots are confined to a minority of football supporters.Hardly the population. Interesting perception the the country is populated with impressionable idiots. Still, if that's how you feel. And, in realityr, it isn't actually that many people. It's only the media who distort the picture of the number of people inteersted in football with their vast coverage of a minority sport. did I say minority ? Well , more people have heard of swimming, cycling, dominoes and bowling ( no really) than football. For good measure, football is the 57th most popular activity in England.
57th.
I assumed, wronglyn that describing footballers generally as spoilt overpaid brats smacked of jealousy. Sorry, incorrect epithet. There are some footballers who, behave like spoilt brats - probably because of the wages - but there are overpaid spoilt brats in most walks of life. It's It's likely that proportionately, more of them went to Eton , ( or Dulwich , judging by recent reports) and so on. What does that say ?
Back to role models. Was Bobby Charlton a role model ? Was George Best a role model ?(Chosen as two footballers who were poles apart in almost everything you could imagine). But I will say this. I would go anywhere to watch George Best play. I never felt that about Charlton. Neither of them represented what I wanted to be - although I admired Best far more than Charlton. Was Charlton an overpaid spoilt brat ? Was Best ?. If Best, than do I admire spoilt overpaid brats ? I didn't think so. My, hasn't a small comment about a short term loanee at WFC generated such a load of navel-gazing ?
